Rotary District 9815 · International Service Hub
Make a difference beyond our borders
International service is at the heart of Rotary's global mission. This hub gives every club the tools, resources and Foundation knowledge to plan, fund and deliver meaningful international projects that change lives.
🌍 International Service 💰 Foundation Grants 🎯 7 Areas of Focus 🤝 Partner Organisations ✈️ Vocational Teams ☮️ Peace Programs
Step 1 of 8
7
Areas of Focus
2
Grant Types
10+
Partner Organisations
8
Guided Steps
100+
Countries Rotary Serves
International Service — What It Means for Your Club
Why international service matters and how clubs of every size can participate
What is International Service?
Understanding the scope, purpose and possibilities of international engagement.
Start Here
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International Service — Welcome, District 9815 ↗ The Seven Areas of Focus ↗ Rotary's Causes — Rotary International ↗
What it is
Working with communities beyond Australia to address humanitarian need through service and partnership
How clubs engage
Global Grants, partner organisations, Vocational Training Teams, disaster relief and peace programs
The Foundation's role
The Rotary Foundation provides grants that multiply your club's investment — often 3x or more
Who can participate
Clubs of all sizes — even a small club can run a meaningful international project with the right partners
💡 International service is not just for large clubs with big budgets. A well-structured District Grant project or partnership with RAWCS can be highly impactful for any club.
Your Role as International Service Chair
Key responsibilities for the year ahead.
Your Role
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💡 The best international projects come from genuine partnerships with communities overseas — not just donations to unknown causes. A relationship with another Rotary club abroad is your greatest asset.
District Resources & Support
What District 9815 has available to help your club.
District Support
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International Service — District 9815 ↗ The Rotary Foundation — District 9815 ↗ Foundation Team — District 9815 ↗ Specialty Help for Global Grants ↗ District Assembly Recordings ↗ District Events Calendar ↗
💡 The District Foundation Chair and International Service Chair are your best first call — they have experience, contacts, and can help you avoid common pitfalls in grant applications.
Rotary's Seven Areas of Focus
All international projects and Foundation grants must align with one or more of these priority areas
The Seven Areas of Focus
Rotary's globally agreed humanitarian priorities — the framework for all grant-funded projects.
Essential Knowledge
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Water, Sanitation & Hygiene
Clean water and sanitation systems for communities that lack reliable access
Peacebuilding & Conflict Prevention
Reducing conflict and building lasting peace through dialogue, education and reconciliation
Disease Prevention & Treatment
Combating preventable disease including malaria, polio, and maternal & child illness
Maternal & Child Health
Reducing maternal and child mortality through health care access and nutrition
Basic Education & Literacy
Improving literacy and access to quality education, especially for girls and marginalised communities
Economic & Community Development
Building sustainable livelihoods, economic opportunity and community resilience
Environment
Protecting natural resources and building environmental sustainability for future generations
💡 Every Foundation Grant project must clearly address one or more of these seven areas. Choose the area that best matches your community partner's real, expressed needs — not just your club's preferences.
Polio Plus — End Polio Now
Rotary's 40-year commitment to eradicating polio from the face of the earth.
Global Campaign
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The achievement
Polio cases reduced by 99.9% since Rotary launched its campaign in 1985 — from 350,000 cases to fewer than 10 per year
The challenge
Until every child everywhere is immunised, the risk of resurgence remains — we cannot stop now
Your club's role
Every dollar donated to PolioPlus is matched 2-for-1 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
How to give
Annual club fundraising event, personal member giving, and promoting awareness in your community
💡 A club fundraising event that raises $1,000 for PolioPlus becomes $3,000 in vaccine funding. Few things Rotary does have this level of direct humanitarian leverage.
Sustainability & Environment
Rotary's growing commitment to environmental action and climate resilience.
Emerging Priority
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💡 Environment was added as Rotary's seventh area of focus in 2021. International projects with an environmental dimension — clean water, reforestation, sustainable livelihoods — are increasingly well supported by Foundation grants.
Foundation Grants — Funding Your International Projects
How the Rotary Foundation multiplies your club's investment in international service
Understanding the Two Grant Types
District Grants and Global Grants — which is right for your project?
Essential Knowledge
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Foundation Grants Introduction — District 9815 ↗ Grant Forms & Reporting ↗ Specialty Help for Global Grants ↗ Foundation Grants — Rotary International ↗
| Feature | District Grant | Global Grant |
|---|---|---|
| Scale | Smaller, local or international | Large-scale international |
| Minimum size | No minimum | USD $30,000 total |
| Funding source | Club + District DDF | Club + District DDF + Foundation World Fund |
| Multiplier | Up to 1:1 with DDF | Up to 0.5:1 World Fund match on DDF |
| International partner | Recommended but not required | Required — partner Rotary club abroad |
| Reporting | Simpler — District level | Comprehensive — Rotary International |
| Best for | First international projects, smaller clubs | Established partnerships, larger ambition |
What is DDF? Understanding District Designated Funds
The most important concept for any club applying for a Foundation grant.
Key Concept
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What DDF is
District Designated Funds — money held by the Rotary Foundation that the District can allocate to approved grants
How it's earned
Every dollar clubs donate to the Annual Fund returns as DDF three years later to fund local and international projects
How it multiplies
DDF can be used to match club cash contributions — effectively doubling the value of your project budget
Why clubs should give
Clubs that give to the Foundation create the very DDF that funds their own grants — it's a virtuous cycle
💡 The most common reason clubs miss out on Foundation grants is not contributing enough to the Annual Fund. Even modest annual giving builds DDF that funds future projects.
Applying for a Grant — Step by Step
The process from project idea to funded implementation.
Action Guide
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1
Define your project and choose the grant type
Is this a District Grant (smaller, simpler) or a Global Grant (larger, requires international partner)?
2
Identify your international partner club
For Global Grants, a partner Rotary club in the project country is required. The District can help connect you.
3
Complete Foundation MOU and club qualification
Your club must be up to date with Foundation Memorandum of Understanding to receive grants.
4
Submit the grant application
Work with the District Foundation Chair to complete and submit. Applications open at the start of the Rotary year.
5
Implement, document and report
Track all spending, take photos, collect beneficiary feedback. Final reporting is mandatory for all Foundation grants.
Personal Giving to the Foundation
Every Rotarian's personal contribution builds the fund that makes global impact possible.
All Members
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Annual Fund
Supports a wide range of humanitarian projects worldwide. Returns as DDF to fund future grants.
Paul Harris Fellow
Recognition for cumulative giving of USD $1,000 to the Rotary Foundation — awarded by clubs to valued contributors
Major Donor
Cumulative giving of USD $10,000 — significant recognition and impact
Bequest Society
Legacy giving — including the Rotary Foundation in your will
💡 Encourage every member to set up a regular small contribution to the Annual Fund. Consistency matters more than size — a club of 20 members each giving $100/year creates meaningful DDF within three years.
Planning & Running International Projects
How to design, fund and deliver international service projects that create lasting impact
Designing a Project for Lasting Impact
The difference between projects that help and projects that transform.
Strategy
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Community-led
The community identifies the need — projects imposed from outside rarely succeed long-term
Sustainable
Who maintains it after Rotary leaves? Training, local ownership and capacity-building are essential
Measurable
Define outcomes before you start: How many people? What change? How will you know it worked?
Partnered
Working with a local Rotary club or trusted NGO dramatically increases the chance of success
Documented
Photos, stories, data and beneficiary feedback are essential for reporting and inspiring future projects
💡 The most common failure in international projects is providing what the donors want to give, rather than what the community needs. Start every project with the question: "What have they asked for?"
Vocational Training Teams (VTT)
Sending teams of professional volunteers to share skills in developing communities.
People-to-People
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What it is
Groups of professionals travel to a developing country to train local practitioners in their vocation
Examples
Medical teams, teachers, engineers, accountants, farmers — any vocational skill with community value
How it's funded
Can be funded through Global Grants — coordinate with the District Foundation Chair
Best practice
Partner with a Rotary club in the host country who coordinates the local logistics and community need
💡 VTTs are one of Rotary's most powerful international service tools — they transfer skills that keep creating value long after the team returns home.
Finding a Twinned or Partner Club Overseas
A genuine club-to-club relationship is the foundation of great international service.
Long-Term Value
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💡 The strongest international projects grow from genuine friendships between clubs. Don't rush to a project before the relationship is real — the relationship is what makes the project work.
Disaster Response & Relief
How clubs can respond meaningfully when international disasters strike.
When Needed
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Donations in Kind (DIK) — Australia ↗ Disaster Aid Australia ↗ ShelterBox Australia ↗ RAWCS — Rotary Australia World Community Service ↗
💡 In a disaster, don't send spontaneous cash directly — channel it through trusted Rotary partners like ShelterBox, RAWCS or DIK who have established logistics and accountability. Your money goes further and the impact is greater.
Partner Organisations
Rotary-affiliated and trusted humanitarian organisations that clubs can partner with for international service
Rotary Australia & Pacific Partners
Trusted Australian organisations with Rotary connections for international service delivery.
Trusted Partners
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💡 These organisations already have established logistics, accountability frameworks and Rotary relationships. Partnering with them for your first international project is faster and lower-risk than building from scratch.
Working with Partner Organisations
How to build productive, long-term relationships with humanitarian partners.
Best Practice
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💡 A well-managed partner relationship is one of your club's most valuable assets. Maintain it with consistent communication, genuine interest and public recognition.
Peace, People & Exchange Programs
Building a more peaceful world through Rotary's scholarships, exchanges and peacebuilding programs
Rotary Peace Fellowships
Rotary's signature investment in the world's future peacebuilders and conflict resolution leaders.
Flagship Program
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What it funds
Full scholarships for graduate-level study in peace and conflict resolution at Rotary Peace Centres worldwide
Who can apply
Professionals with leadership experience in peace-related fields — nominated through Rotary
Club's role
Identify, nominate and support a candidate. One Peace Fellow is one of the greatest gifts a club can give the world.
Impact
Rotary has trained 1,700+ Peace Fellows who are now working in peace and conflict resolution around the world
💡 Peace Fellows become lifelong Rotary ambassadors. They carry Rotary's values into governments, NGOs and conflict zones that few Rotarians will ever reach personally.
Youth Exchange & International Understanding
Building cross-cultural understanding through exchanges and connections.
People-to-People
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Youth Exchange
Hosting or sending a young exchange student builds lifelong international friendships and cultural understanding
Rotary Fellowships
Global groups of Rotarians connected by shared interest — aviation, music, sailing, medicine and 100+ more
GSE
Group Study Exchange — vocational teams of young professionals exchanging with clubs in other countries
💡 Every exchange participant becomes a living bridge between cultures. A family that hosts an exchange student for a year often remains connected to Rotary and international service for decades.
Communicating Your International Impact
Sharing your international service story builds pride, attracts members and inspires others.
Visibility
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💡 International projects are among the most compelling stories you can tell about Rotary. A single powerful photo of a community benefiting from clean water, a new school or medical care can inspire more people to join than any membership campaign.
International Service Year Planner
Key actions, grant deadlines and focus areas for every quarter of the Rotary year
Q1 — July / Aug / Sep
✅ Review existing international partnerships and commitments
✅ Confirm international service budget with President
✅ Connect with District International Service & Foundation Chairs
✅ Check Foundation MOU — is your club qualified to apply for grants?
✅ Identify this year's international project or focus area
✅ Check if District Grant applications are open — deadline Q1/Q2
✅ Attend District Assembly — Foundation and International streams
Q2 — Oct / Nov / Dec
🌍 District Grant — submit application if not done in Q1
🌍 PolioPlus fundraising event or campaign
🌍 Connect with overseas partner club — plan the project
🌍 Annual Fund giving — encourage member contributions
🌍 Rotary World Peace Day (23 Feb) planning begins
🌍 Check VTT opportunities for H2 of the year
Q3 — Jan / Feb / Mar
💡 Rotary World Peace Day — 23 February event or awareness
💡 International project implementation phase
💡 Vocational Training Team — depart or finalise plans
💡 Global Grant application for next year (if planning ahead)
💡 Peace Fellowship nomination — check RI deadline
💡 Communicate project progress to club and community
Q4 — Apr / May / Jun
🏆 Complete grant acquittals and reporting — mandatory
🏆 Year-end international service impact summary
🏆 Celebrate project outcomes publicly — social media, AGM
🏆 Thank partner organisations and overseas club partners
🏆 Document project files for incoming Chair
🏆 Submit annual international service report to District
All Resources — Quick Reference
Every key District 9815, Foundation and partner link in one place
International Service & Foundation
District 9815 and Rotary International pages
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Partner Organisations & Other Hubs
Key partners and related District 9815 resources
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